Everyone knows that reviews are important for businesses, but a lot of people don’t realize just HOW important they are. Positive reviews can influence purchase decisions by allowing potential customers to read feedback during their research phase. People are more likely to trust a brand with comments from previous customers that have had pleasant experiences than a brand without. Why? Credibility. A business with positive reviews increases credibility, and at the end of the day, consumers want to trust the businesses they are engaging with. Valued high-star ratings build trust with potential clients prior to even having a conversation with them. In addition:

• Reviews also build a business’ reputation and increase visibility on the web, which in turn, helps in SEO and ranking efforts. Particularly with Google reviews, a business’ search ranking improves when Google sees engagement, relevance, and consumer confidence.
• Responding to reviews in a timely manner is important. Clients appreciate the effort made in personal and thoughtful responses to each review that is left. It is especially important to respond to negative reviews. Potential customers want to see how a business addresses a negative experience, and since the occasional negative review is inevitable, remember to respond promptly and professionally.
• There is value in a positive review regardless if it is on Google, Facebook, or any other social media platform. Online reviews are the easiest and most authentic promotion for your brand because it is coming directly from the mouths of people who have worked with you – a third-party endorsement, if you will.
• Always take a negative review response offline by replying with a request to have the person contact you via phone or email. Never engage in an online argument as you will never get the last word, and it doesn’t sit well with people evaluating your business – you’ll likely come across as difficult to deal with. By simply requesting that the person contact you, any rational consumer will view this as you taking action to rectify a poor experience. No response looks like your company doesn’t care – a big turnoff to those perusing your reviews.
• While most review platforms discourage soliciting reviews, Google embraces it and will typically post straight to your Google My Business location page. Talk with us about a service we offer to streamline this process.

Due to all of the benefits of positive reviews for your business, remember to ask your clients if they would leave a comment and/or rating describing their experience with your brand. There are platforms and processes that can help with measuring, building, and managing your company’s overall online reputation. We have a powerful solution that can help make review harvesting CIMple. Call us or email me, and we’ll be happy to help.

Quote of the week:

My advice is to answer every customer, in every channel, every time. This is different from how most businesses interact with customers, especially online, which is to answer some complaints, in some channels, some of the time.

Jay Baer